


What is a Birthday?

by FourEyedMonster



Category: The Sanity Circus (Webcomic)
Genre: Birthdays, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29800776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FourEyedMonster/pseuds/FourEyedMonster
Summary: The gang talks about birthdays!
Relationships: Attley Grimshaw & Posey Morris, Steven Anton-Frans & Fletch Gray & Attley Grimshaw & Nimbus Owens
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. A Few Suppers Before The Last

The friends sat around a table, only two of them sharing food while one half heartedly poked at their own meal.

“Man… My birthday is going to suck this year,” Attley said, sighing as they gave up on trying to eat. It had only taken a while for the reality that they weren’t going back to their family to sink in.

“Awh, hey we can do something for your birthday!” Nimbus responded, doing her best to keep the mood light. Fletch nodded, continuing to scarf down his food and nabbing Attley’s leftovers.

“Your uh… Birthday?” The group looked up at their much taller companion as fae wrung faer hands together.

“Yeah, my birthday, y’know?” Attley gestured vaguely, “When you celebrate your like, date of birth or creation.”

“It usually comes with a party! And food!” Nimbus helped.

“I-is that a human custom?” Steven said, settling his hands down on the table, “I don’t think I could do food.”

“Speak for yourself, honestly, I haven’t had a good birthday in years. I miss the cake,” Fletch huffed. Attley punched his shoulder lightly.

“You can always get cake whenever you’re craving, dude!” They chuckled, trying their best to joke.

“But birthday cake has like- certain significance, I guess?” Fletch continued, Nimbus nodding along.

“Because people made it for you! It’s basically your day, even if other people share the same birthday sometimes!” Nimbus said, patting Steven’s hand gently.

“A whole day for me…!” Steven mused, “That sounds quite wonderful… do you think that we could extend that to a week?”

“Yeah, yeah! We can hold a party and play games and stuff!” Nimbus said, leaning on Fletch gently. 

“We’ll make sure everything goes well for you, big guy,” Fletch said, a smile gently tugging at his lips as Steven got obviously excited at the idea of having a whole day to himself.

“We’re gonna find a classical music station on the radio for you, dude. It’s going to be the birthday song,” Attley joked, leaning on their chair. 

“Yes! Absolutely! Only the best for your favorite instrumen, I see!” Steven puffed out his chest, proud of faerself and grinning ear to ear.

“Well- I wouldn’t say Favorite--”   
  
“ARE THERE OTHER INSTRUMEN IN YOUR LIFE, ATTLEY?”

They laughed at Steven’s obvious distress, “No! No! I’m joking- I’m joking of course you’re my favorite!”

Fae huffed, “Good! Besides I have no idea who you’d prefer over me!”

Steven paused for a moment, thinking.

“OK, there Is Luthier,” fae shrugged, rolling his eyes.

“Luth isn’t all too bad, to be honest. They just… have an ego!” Nimbus tried, patting Steven’s shoulders gently. Fae sighed, leaning into Nimbus’s arms as she comforted him.

“I know that! They’ve been- much nicer these past days since they’ve been guarding Posey. They visit me sometimes on my shifts,” Steven said. 

“That is… a bit weird,” Fletch noted. 

Attley barked out laughing, “Not really, I think having to deal with Posey on a daily basis would be enough to make someone want to go talk to Steven.” 

The group turned to stare at them, chuckling nervously at the mention of their previous foe. Their conversation turned silent quickly, Nimbus clearing his throat. 

“So… Fletch?”

“Hm?”

“When’s your birthday?” Nimbus asked.

“Uhh… I think like, January 18th?” Fletch sighed, taking a moment to answer, “I don’t know I never really liked celebrating it.”

“A-ah! Sorry for bringing it up then,” Nimbus laughed nervously, Fletch smiled gently in response.

“Hey, it’s fine! Might actually celebrate it for once if you guys are in charge of it,” He offered, Nimbus beaming brightly and giggling in excitement.

“I’m going to put as many birthday hats as possible when you’re ASLEEP!” Attley laughed, faux jumping at Fletch to make him flinch in surprise, laughing as his feathered hair puffed up and he let out a birdlike squawk. Attley continued to laugh, absolutely delighted by their friends' antics and looking a little less tired than before.

“What about you, Attley? How were your birthdays like?” Nimbus turned to them, smiling warmly. Attley’s laughter quickly turned nervous, eventually just quieting down.

“Just- boring and all, I was homeschooled, so it was just my family and sometimes, y’know, my little brother would bring his friends,” They kept on smiling, though obviously uncomfortable with having the attention turned on them. Nimbus nodded, picking up on their state and quickly changing the topic, though Fletch shot them a worried look. Attley quickly laughed it off, continuing with the conversation as they slowly but surely felt a little colder. 

The lights dimmed slowly, Valerie quickly gathering Nimbus and Fletch and sending them back to the N.O.. She managed to strike up some conversations with Steven before heading off to bed, advising Attley to do the same. Attley nodded along and sighed, going through the motions of their bedtime routine (it was the same and yet not) before settling down under the covers, closing their eyes.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And waiting. 

The place quieted down, Attley lying down in wait as slowly they melted into the shadows. Down the corridors, sticking to corners and behind stairs and chairs they checked to make sure that Luthier, Nicola, and Rosewood were in their place, resting for the night. They slithered past the band stage and to the door connecting the Heart Swing to the Nameless Organization. 

And with great determination they slipped through a crack in the door.


	2. My Friend The Minotaur

Attley passed through the hallways of the N.O. silently, the only noise coming from the faint click of their shoes. The sound didn’t travel far, unlike Attley, who started at the top before descending further into the bowels of the building. They traveled in the darkness, hand trailing against the wall gently as they passed by.

They never figured out what this instinct was, just a gentle tug in their gut telling them where to go. Like following a thread of yarn into the maze Attley continued confidently and with purpose.

Slowly making their way to the prisoner in the middle of it. They felt a gentle yank in their gut as they passed a doorway, they quickly stepped back, hesitantly knocking on the door. The light behind the window clicked on, Attley sitting down in front of the door as they heard shuffling on the other side.

The light clicked off, a soft thump being heard from the other side of the door.

“Attley…?”

“Hey, Po,” They spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

“How are you…?” Posey responded, matching their tone immediately, nervousness evident.

“Uh, me and my friends talked about birthdays today…”

“Oh…” Posey paused, hoping to find a way to fill the silence, “That’s… that’s cool.”

Attley hummed gently, nodding.

“I know they’re going to send me out of here soon…” They continued, “They don’t want me here. But- at least I might be able to get to see Fletch and the rest before I go.”

“. . . I’m sorry,” it said, faint rustling coming again from its side of the door.

“Yeah… I’m not uh, really happy about probably just, being thrown out into the world again, hah…” They laughed softly for all they could not have. Or maybe just mourning for a moment of what could have been. Posey laughed too, just eager to fill the silence with Attley. 

“Attley…?” 

They laid against the door, bringing a soft creak to their ears, “Yes, Posey?”

“Before you leave, come back so I can give you my scarf.”

“I can do that… I’ll give it back to you when I see you again.”

Posey fell silent, Attley left alone for a few moments with their own heartbeat.

Had it always been this loud?

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, my love,” Posey said, finally after a long pause.

“Alright… Goodnight, Posey” They said, standing up and dusting themself off, only hearing a mumble in response. 

And then again, they followed that piece of yarn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi thank you for reading this is the whole thing

**Author's Note:**

> next part probably going to be uploaded when i wake up


End file.
